Breaking Matchmaking (5 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 12
Startled by the loud noise, Young Ja rushed out to the living room.
On the floor lay the curtain rod, the torn sofa fabric, the overturned large basin, and gochujang sauce spilling out in front of it.
Hearing another crash of breaking glass, she stepped toward the kitchen to find numerous dishes shattered in utter disarray.
“What is this, what… what’s going on right now!”
Seeing even the old dishes she’d brought from her own wedding now split cleanly in two, Young Ja trembled as she stared at Chae Won, who stood there with an innocent expression.
“Hey, what on earth are you doing!”
“I haven’t been feeling well since this morning—my hands are completely weak. I guess I’m just not in good condition today.”
Instead of showing any panic over the mess she’d caused, Chae Won pressed her fingers to her forehead, wearing a concerned expression about her health, which made Young Ja gasp and yell,
“Yaaaaah! Are you crazy? Do you even know how expensive these dishes are? Huh?”
Chae Won, who had just been deeply worried about herself, quickly relaxed her expression and looked straight at Young Ja.
“Mother, aren’t you worried at all that I’ve become so weak I can barely hold anything? Do you care more about dishes than about people?”
Young Ja’s lips, utterly flabbergasted, couldn’t stop moving.
“Oh my, oh my, oh my—this girl’s really lost her mind!”
Woof! Woof! Barking erupted loudly from the bathroom.
Now hearing Jenny’s groaning on top of that, a startled Young Ja followed the sound straight to the bathroom.
“You—you—what are you doing right now!”
Jenny, who’d been stomping on a comforter inside the bathtub, abruptly lifted her head.
“Mom!”
“What on earth are you doing in there!”
“Well, Unnie said if I did this, she’d lend me her clothes for our staycation next week…”
“Oh my goodness, oh my, you’ve gone mad! Oh my! Oh my!”
Chae Won approached, still wearing that deeply concerned expression about her own health.
Sensing her presence, Young Ja glared at Chae Won as if ready to kill her.
“Are you insane? How dare you make our Jenny do this! She’s never even touched a drop of water in her life!”
“If someone never touches even a drop of water, they’ll get dirty, Mother.”
“Yaaaaaah!”
Chae Won removed her hand from her forehead and gestured toward Jenny, as if telling her to finish the job.
“A young lady like you will be getting married soon—you really must learn your duties as a daughter-in-law. It’s best to practice ahead of time.”
“Hey! How are you two even comparable?”
“What’s the difference?”
Chae Won smiled sweetly as she watched Young Ja tremble with rage.
“What’s all this noise about?”
At that moment, Jae Min, who’d just entered through the front door, strolled over lazily.
Chae Won turned and walked over to the sofa to pick up her bag.
“I should be going now. I really don’t feel well at all.”
She coughed lightly, glancing at the dog hair floating in the air.
“I’ll see you again next weekend, then.”
After giving a delicate bow, Chae Won headed toward the entrance, and Jae Min hurriedly chased after her, desperate not to let her slip away.
“Where are you going!”
“I really don’t feel well today—let’s meet next week.”
“No, you can’t go. We’re finishing this conversation properly before you leave today!”
When Jae Min grabbed Chae Won’s arm firmly, she looked coldly down at his grip on her wrist.
“It’s going to break.”
Seeing her expression—clearly signaling that nothing would get through to her if he didn’t let go—Jae Min hastily released her hand.
“Good?”
Chae Won gently stroked her arm, then slowly raised her eyes.
“If you truly insist on talking… I suppose I could spare enough time for a cup of coffee outside.”
Jae Min, who had to finalize the divorce without revealing his affair, spoke in a noticeably softer tone.
“I get it—let’s go.”
As Jae Min walked ahead, Chae Won watched his back.
She wondered whether the shirt clinging to him, soaked in sweat, was due to the woman he’d just spoken to—or because of Hee Joo, who’d threatened to leave just like this.
Whichever it was, she thought as she slowly followed behind, there wouldn’t be many days ahead when this sweat would ever dry.
*
“If you don’t bring me proper results by today, I’ll go meet your wife myself!”
Jae Min recalled his recent conversation with Rona as he exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke into the air.
As Rona’s pregnancy progressed, she grew increasingly sensitive, while Hee Joo kept insisting she wouldn’t leave—even if offered a share of his assets.
“God, I’m going insane.”
Though Rona had probably said it out of anger, if she truly showed up in front of Hee Joo, this straightforward divorce would instantly become complicated.
Rona likely underestimated Hee Joo, remembering her from those alumni gatherings at their house—back when Hee Joo seemed like a gentle, docile bear—but even the most naive Hee Joo wouldn’t agree to an easy divorce once she knew about the affair.
Above all, as a lawyer, Jae Min knew better than anyone that litigation divorces were messy affairs that could drag on for two or three years, making an amicable divorce the far better option.
“I have to settle this today—no more waiting another week.”
With that resolve, Jae Min crushed his cigarette under his shoe.
Scanning the café as he entered, his gaze quickly locked onto Chae Won.
“Oh, you too! I’m so sorry—I should’ve paid better attention as I passed by.”
“It’s fine.”
A woman bending beside a table to pick up her cosmetics, and a noticeably distinctive-looking man bowing awkwardly.
Jae Min’s eyes fixated on the two of them.
“Hey…”
Now that she’d picked everything up and apologized, she should just leave—but the man lingered, stretching out his words as he looked at Chae Won.
“Could I possibly get your contact info? You’re totally my type…”
Jae Min, who’d been watching casually, suddenly frowned.
“Uh, do you… happen to have a boyfriend?”
Jae Min’s eyes immediately darted to Chae Won’s lips.
She swept back her long, silky hair and gave a small smile.
“No.”
Stunned, Jae Min let out an exasperated breath and strode over quickly.
“No boyfriend—but.”
“Honey!”
At the sound of Jae Min’s voice, Chae Won turned her head, then looked back at the man in front of her—regarding Sung Min as if seeing him for the first time.
“As you can see, I do have a husband.”
Once Chae Won clarified this, Jae Min—who’d been about to confront her—finally straightened his shoulders and glared disapprovingly at the man.
Sung Min’s eyebrows twitched in clear displeasure at Chae Won’s unusually delicate behavior, though luckily Jae Min didn’t notice.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! Terribly sorry!”
After giving Jae Min a careful once-over, Sung Min followed Chae Won’s cue, feigning panic with an exaggerated expression before scrambling out of the café.
Only after confirming the guy had vanished completely did Jae Min finally turn back to Chae Won.
Just as he was about to scold her for how carelessly she carried herself now that she was a married woman, she gave him a subtle eye-smile and said,
“I’ll have a warm latte.”
She moved toward the window seat, clearly expecting him to go order for her.
Jae Min blinked repeatedly, taken aback—ordering and bringing coffee had always been his wife’s job.
After confirming Chae Won had settled by the window, Jae Min reluctantly headed toward the counter—then paused and glanced back.
“What the…”
Several men’s eyes were following her.
Sure, she’d done her makeup and changed her style today, unlike usual—but was it really that eye-catching?
He turned his gaze back to Chae Won, stared at her blankly as if spellbound for a moment, then quickly snapped out of it.
“She’s really set on trapping me this time. Does she think I’ll fall for this?”
Jae Min wet his lower lip with his tongue in annoyance, then after ordering, pulled out a chair and sat down in front of Chae Won.
“Did you order?”
Her long lashes, previously turned toward the window, lifted haughtily.
She’d always had fair skin, but today it looked especially luminous.
Jae Min’s eyes trailed down her white neck and landed on her shoulders.
Had she always been this thin? She seemed to have lost a bit more weight since before.
“Hey.”
Jae Min, still looking at her, soon spoke in a disgruntled tone.
“Cover your shoulders. Your cardigan’s slipping—you’re showing everything!”
“Hey.”
At Chae Won’s low voice, Jae Min’s eyes widened.
“Don’t call me that.”
“…Huh?”
“I have a beautiful name my parents gave me—so please never erase that precious name of mine by calling me ‘hey’ again. Not ever.”
“…”
“Because I won’t tolerate it.”
Staring at her in blank confusion, he quickly cleared his throat and turned his head away.
“Ahem—fine, I get it. Relax. I really came here to have a serious talk with you.”
Chae Won leaned comfortably against the chair back.
“Hee Joo, what do I need to do for you to agree to a divorce?”
“Do you dislike me that much?”
“Our personalities just don’t match at all!”
“Then let’s try to adjust—together.”
“We’ve adjusted enough already! What more is there? That’s exactly why I’m saying it doesn’t work. And I’m in a rut—I feel absolutely nothing for you anymore!”
As if bored by the conversation, Chae Won turned her gaze out the window.
“It could just be a temporary feeling. If we spend a little more time apart as weekend spouses, maybe we’ll realize how precious we are to each other.”
“We’ve already been apart—and I feel absolutely nothing!”
Chae Won crossed her legs and leaned toward the table.
“So you’re saying that even if I met another man—if I gave my number to a guy like just now—you’d feel absolutely nothing?”
Hearing it sound like she might see someone else, Jae Min’s reply came slightly delayed.
“…Well, if you’re going to meet someone, do it after we divorce.”
“I had no idea you felt absolutely nothing for me.”
Chae Won lowered her eyes, her expression suddenly heavy.
Watching her sink into deep thought—as if she might decide to divorce him right then and there—Jae Min stayed silent.
With a deep sigh, she revealed her delicate jawline before turning her gaze back out the window.
The atmosphere now suggested she was nearly ready to give up.
Struck by a sudden surge of protectiveness at her fragile demeanor, Jae Min was reminded of the very first moment he’d met her—
back when he’d loved everything about her gentle, kind nature.
“Fine. I’ll think about it seriously too.”
Hearing her ask for time to consider, Jae Min had no choice but to nod.
Compared to her outright refusal in the past, this much progress already signaled an end in sight.
Jae Min gazed for a long while at Chae Won’s profile as she rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
“But…”
“Hm?”
“Do you dislike me that much?”
With the conversation finally seeming to reach its conclusion—and now faced again with those deer-like eyes—it suddenly felt hard to say “yes.”
Seeing Chae Won’s face fall once more into despair, Jae Min’s lips twitched, struggling to form the right words.
“No, it’s not that—”
“Of course not.”
“Uh…”
“What happened to my warm coffee?”
Jae Min stared blankly toward the counter, then quickly stood up the moment their eyes met again.
“I’ll—I’ll go get it.”
“Please do.”
As Jae Min hurried off to fetch the coffee, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
“…Is she going to cry all night again?”
Knowing his wife was prone to tears, Jae Min turned to look at her.
But instead of tears, her posture—reclining in the chair, sweeping back her hair—oozed nothing but cool confidence.
“Her style really changed—her whole vibe is totally different now…”
While admiring his wife’s new aura, their eyes met. Jae Min hastily rushed off to get the coffee.
*
After changing clothes at home, Chae Won drove to the restaurant Venezia.
She took off her sunglasses and immediately checked her watch.
“You’re early today.”
Startled, Chae Won turned toward the voice—and saw Yoo Gun just closing the driver’s door after stepping out of his car.
She glanced over Yoo Gun’s suit, absent of a tie, then lifted her eyes to meet his.
Actually, she had to meet his gaze—since he’d already stepped close enough to stand right in front of her.
“It’s nice that your date spots are always predictable—movie, dinner, coffee. So today’s concept is a cozy meal together, I assume?”
“Contrary to your expectations, we’ll soon need to go somewhere far less predictable.”
This man really knew how to dress.
His physique was so naturally good that anything he wore seemed to fit perfectly.
As Chae Won examined the subtle sexiness of his shirt and the sharp lines of his jacket, she asked in a calm tone,
“And where might that be?”
“A hotel.”
“Oh—a ho…?”
Chae Won tore her gaze from his outfit, straightened her neck, and locked eyes with him.
Just moments ago, she’d been thinking about fashion—and suddenly remembered his cousin’s outfit that had made her shake her head in disapproval. Apparently, she’d misheard him because of that.
“Did you just mention your cousin’s name?”
When Yoo Gun briefly pressed his lips together after her question, Chae Won smiled apologetically.
“Oh, I must’ve misheard. I was lost in thought and… I’ve been so scatterbrained lately. It’s not like me at all—I’m usually clearheaded no matter how bad I feel. But lately, with everything going on with Unnie, I’m really not myself.”
“Kim Chae Won.”
Chae Won nodded firmly a couple of times, as if pulling herself together.
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Soon, let’s spend one night together.”
The corners of Chae Won’s smiling mouth instantly dropped.
Yoo Gun remained as composed as if he’d just invited her to lunch, while Chae Won stood frozen like a broken machine, lips silently fluttering.
Silence stretched between them as they stared at each other.
Finally, Chae Won let out a choked, single-word cry.
“…What?”
Though she asked again, incredulous, there was no trace of hesitation or discomfort in Yoo Gun’s steady gaze.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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